NEWPORT NEWS, Va., July 21, 2000 -- During a visit to Newport News Shipbuilding (NYSE:NNS) on Friday, July 14, Admiral Roland Knapp, United States Navy program executive officer, Aircraft Carriers, recognized seven individuals for their exemplary performance on the CVN 77 Contract Design Package and Warfare Systems Integrator selection process. Dr. Jacques S. Gansler, undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, presented the medals and letters of appreciation in a ceremony at the company.

In letters presented to the honorees, Admiral Knapp wrote, "The CVN 77 Program constitutes the first occasion in which the shipbuilder has been assigned responsibility for the development of a CVN contract design package. Despite the new and unique roles for Newport News Shipbuilding and the government in this undertaking, the CVN 77contract design was completed ahead of schedule and more quickly than any other CVN contract design. This exemplary performance was even more remarkable considering the added requirement to incorporate an entirely new warfare system concept developed by one of two competing industry teams during the contract design process."

The NNS individuals receiving Letters of Appreciation from Admiral Knapp are Irwin F. Edenzon, director, Future Carriers; Mike Shawcross, Program manager, CVN 77; Mickey O'Conner, Ship Design manager, CVN 77; and Brian Nehrbass, CVN 77 Design Integration manager.

Two U.S. Navy officers, Captain Dudley Berthold, assistant Program manager, CVN 77 and Commander Dan Siegenthaler, Combat Systems manager, CVN 77, each received the Navy Meritorious medal and letters of commendation.

A U.S. government civil service employee, C.F. Snyder, Ship Design manager, CVN 77 for the Program Executive Office, Carriers, received the Navy Meritorious Civilian medal and a letter of commendation.

The CVN 77 will serve as the transition ship to a new class of carriers. As part of the Contract Design Package, in February 2000 NNS selected Lockheed Martin Corporation as the Warfare Systems Integrator for the CVN 77. The selection decision was the result of a nine-month competition conducted by Newport New Shipbuilding under its CVN 77 Advance Planning contract awarded by the U.S. Navy in October 1998. CVN 77 is scheduled to join the Navy's fleet in 2008.

Newport News Shipbuilding designs and constructs nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines for the U.S. Navy and provides life-cycle services for ships in the Navy fleet. The company employs nearly 17,000 people and has annual revenues of approximately $1.9 billion. Visit NNS on the Web at www.nns.com.